LM Feb.2021_lo

B L A C K H I S T O R Y M O N T H F A C T S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1

Who came up with Black History Month?

In 1915, Harvard historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland founded what is today known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in order to bring awareness to the African American people who had made contributions to society, but had been forgotten or left out of the narrative.

began to expand the recognition of African American history to the full month of February. It was made a national holiday in 1976, when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, and it became the month-long celebration that we know today.

In 1926, the men were looking for a way to make those previously unsung contributions of African Americans known to the public. And so began Negro History Week. Before Black History month was an entire month long, it was only celebrated for one week in February. It wasn’t until the 1960s that colleges and universities

Who are the longest serving black superintendents in Illinois history? Dr. Lela Bridges was the longest sitting black Superintendent in one district when she retired from Harvey School District 152 in 2010. She served as the district’s superintendent for 15 years. At the time of his retirement in 2015 from Edwardsville CUSD #7, Ed Hightower was the longest serving black superintendent in Illinois. He had been a superintendent for 18 years. Hightower also worked for 36 years as a college basketball referee. Dr. Blondean Davis is currently the longest sitting Black superintendent in Illinois. She has served as superintendent of Matteson ESD #162 for 18 years. Dr. Davis was named 2008 Illinois Superintendent of the Year.

Who was the first black superintendent in Illinois? The first Black Superintendent in Illinois was Dr. Charles Moody in 1968. Dr. Moody was the superintendent of Harvey School District 152. He is also the founding father of the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE). Whowas thefirstblack womantoheadamajor publicschool system? In 1973, Barbara Sizemore became the first African American woman to head the public school system in a major city, when she was elected superintendent of District of Columbia Public Schools. Sizemore was born in Chicago in 1927 and began her career in Chicago Public Schools.

The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of two men in particular, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass . Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, and Douglass, whose true date of birth is unknown, celebrated his birthday on February 14. Why is Black History Month celebrated in February?

10 LM February 2021